Dorado, Arc team on feature financing

First project will be Fry, Laurie-voiced 'Canterville Ghost'

Dorado Media and Capital Ltd. has partnered with Arc Prods. Ltd. on a slate financing deal for Arc projects.

First project out of the alliance will be “The Canterville Ghost,” a Melmoth Films CG-animated feature for which Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie will provide the lead voices.

Pact provides for Dorado to facilitate financing for projects to be produced at Arc’s studio in Toronto in the $30 million-$50 million budget range.

The agreement will provide coin for the production of at least three major projects and will focus on CG features and TV series.

“Dorado represents a pool of capital and has a strategy to identify and invest in feature film and television projects,” said Johnathan Brownlee, principal of Dorado. “Family-friendly animation properties are attractive opportunities for our investors, and we have been seeking a direction to approach this sector.”

“The Canterville Ghost,” an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde story, will be directed by Kim Burdon. The score will be written by Ennio Morricone as his first venture into full-CG feature film animation.

“Arc’s credits, including Shane Acker’s ‘9’ and Rocket Pictures’ ‘Gnomeo & Juliet,’ compelled us to knock on Arc’s door in the first place,” said Melmoth producer Robert Chandler. “The fact that they have the confidence to allocate equity funding from their slate deal with Dorado for our film is a compliment to both Melmoth and the project itself. ”

Deal comes five weeks after Arc announced that it had partnered with Toronto-based Tayrona Films for a co-production alliance to produce four animated features. Tayrona and Arc will each contribute two films to that slate deal.